Thought exercise: Minimal Garage Tool Set

In reply to Kenny_McCormic:

I used to think that way. Until not using an impact gun became less about being in a hurry and more about just getting something done.

I started off with the adjustable cresents and have been working my way up.

My top essentials, hft long reach dual swivel head ratchet, 6 pt sockets in ⅜ ½ (½ in impact style) and adaptors,½ 29mm axel socket, wobble extensions, long reach wrenches, strap wrench, propane torch, oil squirter (with acetone/veg oil mix), corded ½ impact, rubber mallet, train engineer's hammer, large old vice, free screw driver set, 2x tire iron/pry bars, cold punch chisel set, bi metal hacksaw, old vise grips, large needle nose pliers,razor blades, high lift jack and stands or cribbing, 2 tape measures + angle iron (setting toe), and the all the annoying vehicle specific pullers.

Everything else I have is just a waste of space, but i would hate to have to drag it all around

Sine_Qua_Non wrote:

tuna55 wrote: I have never owned an impact gun. Read my build thread and decide if you really need one. I've pulled off majorly stuck and big bolts without one.

Didn't you split your lip with a breaker bar?

Ha!!

Yes!!

I think I was using it to lift a transmission. An impact gun would not have helped me there.

In reply to tuna55:

What do you do for the nut on the end of the strut/spring assembly?

In reply to jere:

I think you're supposed to use a deep offset wrench, then hold the shaft poking through, or a spark plug socket with the rubber knocked out if the nut is the right size. Or a pass through ratchet if it's held with an allen, or put a junk socket in a big pair of vise grips or a pipe wrench, or weld a handle to a junk socket. Or there's probably a special tool for it.

Definitely one you don't want to overtighten.

DaveEstey wrote: I don't understand the whole "Getting out the air compressor and hose" thing. Am I the only one with a standing air compressor in the corner and a hose reel?

The solution to the drag it out is get one big enough that you can not move it. That is what I did.

12 point sockets are a must in my book. There are many times when you can not get one of those 12 point ratchet wrench things on them and I fond those ratchet wrench things are only good for maybe one or two uses anyway. Then they brake and I have to jamb them (usually tack weld them) so they are no longer a ratchet. To me those are POS tools.

Ohya I forgot a couple pipe wrenches could be added to the list. I seem to use mine all the time. I have three of them but reality is you really only need the two smaller size ones.

Karacticus wrote: Also, if you're really looking to cut down on tools (this was the case when I had a tool set I tossed in airplanes) this is pretty much unbeatable. Even in the garage at home, as long as I'm not dealing with miniature screws, this is the screw driver (with optional shorter shaft and 1/4" drive shaft) I use (but not as a pry-bar)

I used to have (what I thought was) a really sweet multi-bit multi-length ratcheting screwdriver, one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Ampro-T19423-2-in-1-Ratcheting-Screwdriver/dp/B000FT1HV2

Then one day I put a fair bit of torque into it, and the collar that you turn to control the ratcheting just shattered. It was just made of plastic. A bunch of springs and ball bearings flew out and the screwdriver was useless

So be careful with ratcheting screwdrivers...I have another one where the collar seems to be metal with a plastic shell and it's held up well so far.